Hat



oct. 23, 1934. o. B. CARTER 1,977,983

HAT

Filed neculv, 1952 2 shets-sheet 1 www1/MM www y ATTORNEYS.,

Oct. 23, 1934.

o.\y B. CARTER 1,977,983

HAT l Filed Deo. 17, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 W1 TNE S5 /N VENTO/e 0770 5MM/E UA1/Uff? A TTO/eA/E ys Patented Oct. 23, 1934 UNITED STATES rATeT orifice 1 Claim.

It has been the practice in the manufacture of hats, both felt and straw hats, to stitch the sweat band or leather with thread directly to the body of the hat at substantially the inner surface of the meeting point of the crown and the brim. This stitching is whipped or hand sewn circumferentially around the lower edge of the leather or sweat band and circumferentially penetrates the body of thehat, usually Very close to the edge which defines the point of separation of the crown and the brim. Hats thus made have been found to be objectionable and one of the outstanding objections is the soiling of the hat body and ribbon by the penetration of oil, grease and perspiration from the wearer to the outside of` the hat and the general unsanitary condition y of the hat resulting therefrom. It has been the practice among many men for many years past, to apply greasy or `oily preparations to the hair for the purpose of keeping the hair in order and it has been found that such preparations penetrate the hat and band and appear in the form of a stain upon the outside of the hat and band. 1n

some instances, thishas been known to occur with new hats within a very short time after they commence to be worn. In order to correct the unsightly appearance of the hat, it is necessary in hats of the present construction to remove the band and ribbon, attempt to clean the grease or oil from the hat and then insert a new band andapply a new ribbon. This procedure is not only expensive but quite unsatisfactory. In many instances the hat body is stained in the areas on both sides of the ribbon, resulting Ain the material of which the hat body is made, acting as a wick to draw the grease over extended portions of the hat beyond the portions covered by the ribbon. It is exceedingly difficult to again put soiled hats in first class condition as will be readily understood.

It is the purpose of this invention to overcome or alleviate these objections.

In the drawings, Fig. 1, is a longitudinal section through a hat with the sweat band in position; Fig. l2 is a perspective view of the sweat band removed from the hat; Fig. 3 is a section' through the hat with the sweat band removed therefrom; Fig., 4 isan enlarged sectional detail of a tape which carries the sweat band and Fig. 5 is a sectional detail of Fig. 4 with the sweat band attached thereto; Fig. 6 is a modification of the type of band shown in Fig. 2, viewed from that portion of the band which goes in the rear of the hat; Fig. 7 is an enlarged sectional detail of a portion of the band shown in Fig. 6; Fig. 8 is a sectional detail of Fig. '7 with the sweat band attached thereto; Fig. 9 is a sectional detail of a modification of the band shown in Fig. 8; Fig. p

l0 is a longitudinal section through a ladies hat embodying this invention with the usual lining contained in 'the ladies hat pulled outwardly to show the interior construction of the present invention, and Fig. 11 is a similar view of Fig. l0 with the lining and band in normal position.

This invention is illustrated in connection with mens and womens felt hats but may be used as well in other types of hats. The hat shown in Figs. l and 3 consists of the usual crown l and brim 2, which meet at and form the con` tinuous edge 3, which edge 3 is ordinarily exposed to View when the hat is worn. The leather or sweat band 4 is made of a continuous piece of leather about two inches wide and is attached by stitching to a continuous piece of rubberized tape 5, which when flattened out is about three-quarters of an inch wide. The tape 5 is preferably provided with a reed 6, which is secured to the tape 5 by folding the tape lengthwise upon itself to provide the section 7. The reed or cord 6 is positioned in the bottom of the fold, as shown in Fig. 4. The turned over section 'l of the tape is preferably adhered to the body thereof. The reed may be omitted in which case the section 'l is adhered to the body of the tape fthus forming a doubled thickened bottom edge. The section of the tape 5 is provided with button holes hpositioned inside of the edge 9 thereof. These button holes are arranged at predetermined distances along the tape and reinforced with button hole stitches 10, portions of which pass through the fold over section 'l' of the tape as shown in Fig. 4 for the purpose of securing the fold over section 7 against the body of the tape and reinforcing both the fold and the body of the tape. The tape 5 is then sewn by stitches ll to the leather or sweat band 4, the lower edge of the sweat band 4 abutting against the top edge l2` of the'turned over section 7 as shown in Fig'. 5 whereby the outer surface of the sweat band 4 and the outer edge of the `beaded edge of the tape are substantially in the same plane. `The crown of the hat inside of the edge 3 `thereof isfl provided with flat fastening elements 13 prefer` ably in the form of flat buttons, arranged circumferentially in spaced relation on the inside of the crown of the hat at positions to correspond and engage with the button holes 8 formed in the tape 5. In positioning the button holes 8 in the tape they are given a definiterelation with respect to the outer edge 9 of the tape, in order sse that the edge 3 of the crown and the edge 9 of the tape shall be in substantially the same plane and the fastening elements 13 are sewn at a position in the crown of the hat in order to secure and maintain this relation. The tape and the attached sweat band 4 are secured in the hat by passing the buttons 13 through the button holes 8. The lower edge 9 of the tape 5, with the sweat band in position in the hat, is substantially in the same plane as the edge 3 of the crown and the lower edge of the sweat band, and the stitches with which it is secured to the tape, are in a higher plane than the said edge 9 of the tape 5. The fastening elements 13 are between the tape 5 and the band 4, and secured near the lower edge 3 of the hat crown so that the lower edges 14 thereof, are near the edge 9 of the sweat band and edge 3 of the crown thereby acting as stiffening elements kto give rigidity to the tape 5 and retain its edge 9 in substantial alignment with the edge 3 of the crown.

One end of the sweat band is preferably provided with a slit l5 and the other with a pointed end 16 so that these two edges may be secured together.

In a modification shown in 6, the free ends of the leather or band and tape are cut straight and abutted and then secured together by strips 17 and 17a of adhesive tape which extend beyond both of the abutting edges of the band and tape, or the abutting edges may be stitched together.

The leather or band is self-sustaining particularly because of the bead-like lower edge of the combined tape 5 and the lower edge of the sec tion of leather e. rI'his reinforced lower edge when the leather or band has been shaped to fit the inside of a hat will substantially retain this fitting by reason of its inherent sustaining qualities and provide a leather or band which is capable of receiving and maintaining a contour corresponding substantially to the internal contour of the hat into which it is to be tted. When the free ends of the leather or band are attached together, this predetermined contour will be maintained in the hat but the band is nevertheless subject to deformation independently of the hat body in order to conform to the general shape of the wearers head.

A modification of this invention applied to a ladies felt hat is shown in Figs. 10 and 11. In this instance, the band 4a is made of a strip of elastic tape stitched together at 18 to form a band which is substantially of the saine circumferential size as the lower edge of the crown of the hat. A lining 19 provided with button holes is buttoned upon the fastening elements 13 as shown in Fig. 10 and the elastic which is also provided with button holes is then buttoned upon the fastening elements 13. The lining while these operations are being performed, hangs outwardly from the inside of the hat and is then folded inwardly into the crown of the hat to take the position shown in Fig. 1l, thereby interposing the elastic band in a fold of the hat lining. The inward folding of the lining forms a con-- tinuous edge 20 near the outer circumferential edge of the hat crown where the lower edge of the crown and the brim of the hat meet.

Figs. 7 and 8 show a modified form of tape 5.

In the modincation shown in Fig. 7, the section of rubberized tape is folded upon itself to provide a double thickness. A reed 6 is inserted in the fold and button holes 8 are formed through both thicknesses of material. This double thiclmess of button hole tape is then sewn to the leather l as shown in Fig. 8. Fig. 9 shows a further modication of the combined tape and band. In this instance a section of rubberized tape is folded into a double fold, a reed 6 is inserted in the fold and button holes 8 are provided in but one section of the folded material. The tape as thus made is then sewn to the leather l as fully shown in Fig. 9. This modification provides a waterproof layer constituted by the intermediate ply of rubberized fabric, between that portion of the tape which carries the button holes 8 and the leather 4.

In addition to the advantages heretofore set out it is to be noted that the leather or band when secured in the hat is capable of moving independently of the hat body inasmuch as ie band can slide by reason of the loose fit of the button holes over the buttons 13. It is also to be noted that the lowerinost edge 6 of the tape does not protrude beyond the edge of the crown of the hat, as has been the case with hats in which the band is sewn into the hat. Portions of the band or leather are capable of moving laterally independently of the hat as it may be neccssary for the band to conform to the head of the wearer. This construction also provides ventilating space between the inside surface of the body of the hat and the inside surfaces of the band or leather, the latter function being possij,y

ble inasmuch as the band not being secured entirely around the hat body will always provide slight open spaces. This invention is not limited to the use of buttons as securing elements and in place thereof any other'suitable form of fasl,

tening element may be used. The securing elements, if in button form, may be made of a suitable metal such as aluminum or of felt. It is preferred, if felt buttons are used, to stiiTen the felt with a suitable sizing. 1

the lower edge of the band. 25

I claim: v

A felt hat having a multiplicity of fastening elements directly secured circumferentially on the inside of the hat body and inside of the lower edge of the crown thereof, a band having a predetermined head size, said band being unitary and self-sustaining and comprising a sweat band and a flexible fastening tape secured to the sweat band, the lower edge of said tape carrying a reed, the said reed lying in substantially the same f plane as the edge formed by the junction of the hat crown and the hat brim, cooperating fastening elements on the tape engaging the fastening elements secured to the inside of the hat body, whereby the entire band is freely removable and 1, a new band replaceable and the penetration of perspiration, oil, etc. to the outside of the hat body and to the hat ribbon is avoided.

OTTO BLAINE CARTER. 

